Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1887-04-28

"Cat"-An Ominous Growling-A Pi'
Oneer, in Barn.
''When was lad Of TO-" says Silas
Smith, an old pioneer of Wisconsin, ''my
father removed to this state from New
England and settled about three miles
from Madison. The place was a village
then, and a small one at that, and i re-
member once seeing a deer running down
the main street with a dozen dogs after
him. The road from the village to our
clearing was little better than n path.
There were only two farmers having oxen
and wagons, and so there was little use
for roads just at the edge of the woods
outside the village was log barn belong
ing to storekeeper named Roberts. That
was the last building we passed going
home, and the first one come to as we en-
tered the village clearing. From that
stable to my fathers house, three miles,
there was only one break in the forest,
and that was on n ten acre clearing
"After having passed over the route
several times with my father, ! was per-
mitted to travel it alone whenever any
thing was wanted from town. After
time / could have almost followed the
trail with my eyes shut, and had no fear
of the wolves and panthers l heard talked
about, because | was told that no wild
beast ever attacked people by daylight.
1t was one of the first davs Of October
that as ] was about half way through the
woods ON an errand to the village, and the
time being midforenCon, panther sprang
from the limbs Of a large beech under
which / was passing, and alighted upon
the ground beside me. There was not
even a growl to warn me of his presence,
i. I L. F.y
as a cat and as good natured as a rabbit.
/ had never heard panther described,
and while / suspected this was one, ] was
not sure. He jumped into the path ahead
of me and began to Zigzag back and forth
across it, purring all the time like a cat,
and seeming to be highly pleased when
my legs rubbed against him.
A GOOD NATURED "CAT."
az was a bit frightened at first but
after q few minutes / made up my mind
that it was some animal which would not
hurt me, and then we had q romping
time. / would clap my hands and shout
SICK 'emp and the panther would 60
skurrying here and there like a young
pup, sometimes rolling over and over on
the leaves, and again making such leaps
and bounds as excited my admiration.
When we came to level piece Of ground
/ ran q race with him, and when he got
into the patch ahead of me j seized the
tip of his tail and hung on and laughed
until the woods rang. On two or three
occasions, as the panther was gamboling
about me, he made clean spring right
over my head.
''It was only when we reached the edge
of the village clearing that ] suspected the
identity of my visitor. The near presence
of other human beings seemed to anger
him, and he snarled and growled and tore
at the ground with his claws. Ipatted him
on the back and smoothed his fur, and he
began purring again and was restored to
good nature. He trotted alongside of me
about half way to the barn / have mem
toned, and then slipped away into
some fallen timber. ] had been quite
badly frightened for some minutes, and
now seized this chance to make off. My
movements were FASTENED by an ominous
growing from the timber, and / walked
off at fast pace, and was within few
steps when i heard q fierce scream and
turned my head and saw the great cat
bounding toward me. The door of the
barn was partly open, and without an in
stant's reflection / sprang inside and
closed it. Before I could have counted
twenty the panther was at hand. Luckily
for me it was strong, rough door, made
of slabs and well put together. The beast
made terrific efforts to get IN, and his
sharp claws made the splinters fly as he
set them into the wood. There was TO
inside fastening, and / had to brace with
all my might to prevent his ingress. lie
was now worked up into fury, and /
believe every hair of my head stood on
end as / fought TO keep him out.
THROUGH THE ROOF.
"When the panther found that he could
not get in by the door he sprang upon the
roof / heard him as he alighted on tic
shocks, and, facing about, / saw there
was a square hole in the roof left for a
chimney never built There was nothing to
prevent him leaping down, and this is just
what he intended doing saw his shadow
as he peered over the edge Of the open
ing, and / was all ready as his 1.-THE body
alighted on the floor In two winks / was
outside and had the door pulled to, ard
a.-ain he was foiled. lie was mad and 10
mistake, and, although was young boy
and almost upset with fear, / had sense
enough left to be on the watch for him.
The caves Of the building were so short
that, standing by the door, which Led d
button outside and an old strap nailed to
the inside to pull it shut, / could see TIC
ridge pole.
SIN two or three minutes / heard tire
clatter Of claws as the beast VENT up the
logs, and the moment half lis body slowed
through the opening / changed my posi-
ton to the inside. He came down the
roof, sputtering and growing, and again
made fierce attack on the dcor. | wcs
too much for him, and he again tried the
roof and the chimney hole. lie came
down and / went oct, and he went up and
came in. lie was at the door, snarling
IN a way to send shivers up and down my
back. when ] heard the report of q rife